Save You
by darthelwig
Summary: Vision meets Wanda while working in a bookstore, but being with her isn't as easy as falling in love with her. Scarlet Vision. Contains an abusive relationship, so be aware.
1. Chapter 1

"Save You"

by darthelwig

* * *

*** I own nothing. I'm just having fun. ***

* * *

"Victor," Clint said, smiling as they shook hands. "Glad you could make it. Are you looking forward to your first day?"

"Oh yes. I believe I'm up for the challenge. And please, I prefer to go by Vision." His answering smile was polite, but distant. Clint just chuckled.

"That's fine by me." Clint ushered Vision into the small bookstore. "So this is it. We're not one of the big retailers, but we do alright, mostly because we're able to get the hard to find stuff. Collectors come here a lot. We're close to the college, too, which helps. You'll see all kinds come through here."

Vision nodded politely as he looked around, taking in the small, slightly cramped space. The aisles were narrow, and the shelves were quite tall. The front of the store had the register, with a table across from it on which a number of books were on display. Not all of the overhead lights held bulbs, so the lighting wasn't as bright as in most stores. Sufficient for reading, but not likely to give one a headache. He could see a few customers quietly browsing the shelves.

All in all, he rather liked it.

"I have to admit, when Steve first approached me about the job opening, I had my reservations. Retail work is not something I've ever done before, but I think I will enjoy this experience."

"Good," Clint said, relieved. "I just lost one of our two full time employees, and we are in desperate need of the help. I'll introduce you to our other full timer. Her name's Wanda. We've got a part time kid too. That would be Peter. He's here in the afternoons. He's still in high school. Nice kid."

While he talked, Clint moved towards one of the aisles. Vision quietly followed, content to look and listen.

"There she is," Clint nodded towards a young woman who was shelving books halfway down the aisle. She left off what she was doing as they approached, and Vision's breath caught in his throat as he got his first good look at her. Big green eyes and a sweet smile greeted them.

"Wanda, I want you to meet Vision. He's going to take Sam's place. Vision, this is Wanda. She's gonna be showing you the ropes, teach you the register and all that."

Vision's heart skipped a beat as Wanda turned her gaze to him, but he managed to control his voice when he spoke.

"Very nice to meet you," he said as they shook hands. He couldn't help but notice how small and soft her hand was.

"A pleasure meeting you, Vision." Her voice was warm, and he found her accent intriguing. He couldn't quite place it.

"Vision has absolutely zero experience, so you're gonna have to teach him from the ground up," Clint said.

"No problem," Wanda replied. "I did the same with Peter." She gave Vision a reassuring look. "Don't worry. It's not hard to learn."

"I'm sure you will be an excellent teacher," Vision said.

"I'll let you two kids get to it," Clint said. "I've gotta get started in the back. Let me know if you have any questions."

"I suppose I should start with the register," Wanda said. "That would be best, I think. I started with inventory for Peter, but only because he was shy." Wanda glanced up at him, a teasing smile on her lips. "Are you shy, Vision?"

"N-no. Not particularly."

"Good." Her smile widened and he wondered where all the air had gone. He was finding it difficult to breathe all of a sudden.

"Come," she said, her hand brushing over his arm. "We have a lot to do."

* * *

It had been a long day of trying to absorb everything Wanda was teaching him, but by the end of it Vision thought he was getting the hang of things. He wasn't comfortable on the register yet, but he thought he could get by.

He also thought he was getting better at functioning normally while in close proximity to his beautiful new coworker. Focusing on work had helped a great deal. He also spent his lunch break familiarizing himself with the surrounding area, just so he could get some fresh air and perspective.

The last customers were out the door and they had locked up behind them. Clint came out of the back, and handed Vision a key.

"Key to the castle, so to speak," Clint said. "For now, I want you shadowing Wanda, so you'll be working the same days, but you're gonna need a key." He nodded tiredly at Wanda. "Thanks for this, Wanda. I've gotta split. Laura's waiting for me, and has threatened me with bodily harm if I don't come home soon. I'll see you two tomorrow."

"Not to worry, Clint. I've got this. Tell Laura hi for me."

"I will," he said as he headed out the door, and just like that, Vision found himself alone with Wanda.

He tried to concentrate as she showed him how to count the cash drawer, and where to put everything, but he was having a difficult time ignoring the way his body was responding to her. He had never experienced anything like this before. He wasn't some hormonal teenager who couldn't keep his impulses under control. He wasn't the type of guy who chased after women. So what was wrong with him?

"Vis, you okay?"

It took a second for it to register that she was speaking to him, and she looked concerned.

"What do you mean?" he asked. _"She called me Vis, and God help me, I liked it."_

"Well, you seem a bit distracted. It's okay. We can go over this stuff tomorrow. It's a lot to absorb in one day, I know. Let's call it a night." Wanda started gathering her things together.

"Yes. That might be best," he managed to say.

There were other things he wanted to say, but he kept them to himself as they locked up and went their separate ways for the night.

* * *

The next day found Vision waiting at the store, wondering what to do. He was there at the correct time, but no one else was here, and he was unsure of where to start. He was beginning to think he had misunderstood his start time when Wanda burst through the door.

"I'm so sorry, Vis! I woke up late, and then my car wouldn't start, and I'm so, so sorry."

She ran to the back, where she stowed her jacket and purse, and Vision couldn't help but smile. Her energy was infectious. His day had already brightened considerably.

When she came back, she was putting her hair up in a high ponytail. He couldn't help but stare at the slim, graceful lines of her neck and shoulders. She was so tiny, but with such distracting curves. He swallowed hard when her shirt rode up for a moment, revealing her flat, smooth stomach. God, she was beautiful.

"Come on. I wanna run you through a few things before we open up for the day," she said, motioning for him to follow her down the closest aisle. He did his utmost best to pay attention to what she was saying, even though he could smell the sweet scent of her hair.

Afterwards, they unlocked the door and started their day.

Vision managed to keep busy for most of the day. The workload was fairly light, as it was split between the two of them, and they found themselves with some time on their hands while they waited for their replacement to arrive.

"So Vision," Wanda said. "I know you haven't worked retail, so what have you been doing up until now? What business were you in?"

"Computers, mostly," he said. "I did a lot of computer repairs. I did some programming as well, for a while, but that career didn't pan out. Unfortunately. The repair job was good for a long time, but things started to dry up for the company, and they had to begin layoffs. I was one of the people chosen to be let go."

"Wow. That's awful." She was frowning, genuinely distressed at the situation he had found himself in. "I'm glad Clint had an opening. I guess it was fate," she said with a small smile.

"If you do not mind my asking, what happened to the previous employee? I believe his name was Sam?"

A strange look passed over her face, but before Vision could identify it, it was gone, leaving him wondering if he had seen anything at all.

"Sam had some...personal problems. He decided to quit before they got worse," she said. Vision could tell she was holding back, but he didn't want to push.

"Well, his loss is my gain. I am quite enjoying my time here," he said. He was rewarded with one of her radiant smiles and he was left breathless. How could one woman be so beautiful?

Wanda let her hair down so she could redo her ponytail, and Vision noticed the engagement ring she was wearing. How had he not noticed that before? Was it wishful thinking? Of course this woman would be committed to someone else. What man would be stupid enough to let her go? He tried to push away the twinge of jealousy he was feeling. He had no right to that emotion.

Just then, the door practically burst open as a young man ran in, a backpack slung over his shoulder. He was panting, and he bent over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. Wanda glanced at the clock, her lips twitching in that teasing smile Vision liked so much.

"You made it on time for once," she said.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I raced all the way here!"

"About time. I need to get going. James expects me home in about half an hour."

Vision filed that bit of information away. Her fiancé's name was James and they lived together. Good to know. He wanted to know everything about her. He couldn't help himself.

"Vis, this is Peter. Peter, this is Vision."

"Pleasure to meet you, Peter. Clint tells me you are still in high school," Vision said.

"Yeah, I got a couple more years to go, but I need the money, so here I am. Clint's real good about my schedule too. I got lucky finding this place." Peter's breathing had almost slowed back to normal.

"I think your decision to work even while in school is quite admirable. Not many teenagers these days would choose to do so."

"Thanks," Peter said, a blush creeping over his cheeks.

"Peter isn't used to compliments," Wanda laughed. If anything, Peter blushed even harder. Vision decided the boy probably had a crush on Wanda. Totally understandable, in his eyes.

"Alright, boys. I'm out. I'll see you tomorrow, Vision." Wanda grabbed her things and was out the door in a flash.

"Does Clint have you close up the store?" Vision asked Peter.

"No way. Clint comes in during the evenings to get his work done. He lets Wanda run things during the day unless there's something special going on. She's worked here for a long time."

"I see. Well, go put your things in the back. I will watch the register until you return."

"Thanks, man." Peter jogged to the back of the store, and Vision wondered if the young man even knew how to move at a slower pace. He smiled to himself. He was really enjoying this place already.

* * *

When Wanda walked in the next morning, she looked tired and was moving a bit stiffly.

"Are you alright, Wanda?" Vision asked, concerned.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well." Her normally bright smile was missing, and it hurt Vision to see it.

"Would you like me to go buy you some coffee?"

"Would you?" she said, brightening a little. "That would be awesome."

"Not a problem. I will be back shortly."

Vision had walked for about lka minute before he realized he had forgotten his wallet in the office. He headed back as quickly as he could, irritated with himself. All thought fled from his brain, though, when he opened the door to the back room and saw Wanda there, holding her shirt up and examining a large purple bruise just below her ribs. She jumped when he came in, quickly pulling her shirt down.

He didn't know what to say, what to do. He just stood there staring at her.

"Did you need something?" she asked.

"Um, I forgot my wallet. I came back for my wallet." He paused. "Wanda- are you okay?"

"I'm good. I just fell last night. I can be pretty klutzy sometimes," she said.

This didn't fit with the graceful woman he had been observing for the last two days. Vision wasn't born yesterday. He could tell she was hiding something, and there was only one thing he could think of that would need to be hidden.

"Wanda, did James hit you?"

The flash of guilt in her eyes before she looked away was all the confirmation he needed.

Vision walked up to her slowly. She stood there, not looking at him, but crossed her arms. He put his hands on her shoulders and rubbed up and down her arms without saying anything, just watching her, and when she lowered her arms, he pulled her into a gentle hug. He could feel her hesitation, but soon she began to return his hug, her cheek pressed against his chest.

"Thank you, Vision," she said softly.

Vision pressed a kiss to the top of her head and cursed himself for being a dog. Even now, as he comforted her, his body reacted to their closeness. She was so soft and small in his arms, and she smelled so good. He was aware of every place their bodies touched. He wanted to kiss her, so badly, but this wasn't the time or place, and he sort of hated himself for his lack of control. She needed better from him.

It was almost a relief when she pulled away. Almost.

"Wanda, what can I do?"

"I'm okay, Vis. Really. But thank you," she said, looking up at him with a sweet, sad little smile. "You're so nice to worry, but I'm okay." She put her hand on his cheek, and he caught it, turning his head to press a gentle kiss into her palm. Her eyes widened, but she didn't pull away.

"You deserve better, Wanda," he said quietly, holding her gaze.

She pulled her hand from his, but only to run her fingers along his jaw and over his lips.

"Your lips are as soft as I imagined," she said, surprising him.

"You've thought about my lips?"

"Of course," she said. "You are very handsome, and kind. You have a good heart." She placed her hand on his chest, and his heart skipped a beat. "I find you very attractive, Vision." She looked at him very seriously. "But I love James. I'm committed to him. I can't be what you want. I'm sorry."

She stepped back from him and took a great shuddering breath.

"I'll go get the coffee," she said, not looking at him, and Vision could just watch helplessly as she left.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

* * *

Vision and Wanda spent the rest of the day working in a tense silence. There were a multitude of things he wanted to say to her, mostly revolving around the fact that she could do so much better than a man who would raise his hand to her, but he knew it wasn't his place to say those things. He had already revealed enough. She had made her position clear, and as much as it pained him, he needed to back off. He didn't want to make things harder for her or further damage the relationship they had formed.

So he kept his peace and she kept her distance.

"Hey guys," Peter said breathlessly as he stumbled into the store. "Sorry I'm late. It's the stupid bus!"

Vision smiled at Peter and shook his head.

"Perhaps you should speak to Clint about starting your shift a bit later," he said. "I could stay until you arrive."

"Wow, really? Maybe I'll do that. This schedule is just killer." Peter took off to the back office to put his stuff away, and Vision heard him trip over something on the way back. The kid was dangerous, and he made Vision laugh. He really liked Peter.

The door opened again, and Vision greeted the man entering. The gentleman wore a leather jacket and gloves even though the day was fairly warm out.

"Good afternoon. Let me know if you need anything," Vision said, smiling. The man looked Vision up and down, and Vision had the uncomfortable feeling that he was being measured and found wanting.

"You're the new guy. Vision, right?"

Vision blinked, surprised.

"Yes, sir. I am. Can I help you?"

"Wanda told me about you. She seems to like you." Somehow, this didn't sound like a good thing. Vision suddenly knew who he was talking to.

"Ah, yes. You must be James," he said, his voice decidedly less friendly than before. James smirked as he noticed the difference, but then his eyes narrowed and he stepped closer to Vision. Vision held his ground, refusing to be intimidated.

"You get to call me Bucky. Only Wanda calls me James." Bucky scowled and squeezed his right hand into a tight fist before relaxing.

"Alright, Bucky. How can I help you today?" Vision was careful to keep his voice calm and professional, his face neutral. He didn't want to start a fight with this man.

"I'm here to pick up Wanda," Bucky said.

"I'm here," Wanda said, hurrying up the aisle. "Sorry. I got held up with Peter. He was running late again."

When she reached Bucky's side, he draped his right arm over her shoulders, eyeing Vision up as he did. Vision kept his face carefully blank as Bucky pulled Wanda close and placed a kiss on her temple.

"You ready to go, doll?"

"Yes." Wanda nodded and looked over at Vision, giving him a warm smile.

Vision watched them go, watched how Wanda leaned into Bucky as they walked together. His heart ached, just seeing them like that. He couldn't help imagining Bucky touching her, and sent out a silent prayer that it wouldn't be in anger.

* * *

The next few days passed in much the same way. Sometimes Wanda arrived first, sometimes he did, and Bucky always came to get her at the end of the day. They didn't talk about what had passed between them. Wanda seemed perfectly happy just returning to how things had been before that. Vision followed her lead.

He didn't see any more injuries on Wanda until about a week later.

She rolled up her sleeves a bit while she was shelving books, and he saw dark marks on her left arm, above the wrist. He could picture Bucky's large hands grabbing her there, hurting her. Vision wasn't prone to holding negative opinions about people, but he thought he might hate the man.

Finally, Clint decided Vision was good to work on his own, and he found himself having slightly less time around Wanda. He spent weekends working without her there, and he missed her very much on those days.

Vision missed her on his days off as well, so he decided one day he would bring her some lunch. He stopped and grabbed a salad he knew she liked and a sandwich for himself, and headed to the store.

She was sitting behind the register when he came in. Her face lit up with a smile when she saw him, but the happiness Vision felt at seeing her again was marred by the sight of her split and somewhat swollen lip. Anger flared up inside of him, and it must've shown on his face, because she looked away self consciously, covering her mouth.

Vision set the food on the counter and looked at her helplessly.

"Wanda, I cannot stand this."

"This is really none of your business, Vis. Okay? Please." She looked so sad, it broke his heart. Vision reached out and gently ran his thumb over her lip.

"This is not okay, Wanda."

"I can't do this right now. I'm working! Can we just not do this? Please?"

Vision suddenly realized where they were. He'd forgotten in his concern for her. He knew he was blushing.

"Sorry," he said. "I- I forgot."

She gave him an incredulous look, but accepted his answer.

"Thank you for bringing lunch," she said, giving him a shy smile.

"Of course," he said. "Anytime." And suddenly they were okay again, but Vision was determined to talk to her about this again. Soon.

* * *

Vision was determined to talk to her. He certainly wouldn't be able to meet her outside of work, and the only time she was alone at work was before opening, so he went to the store the very next morning and waited for her inside.

"Vision? Is that you?" she called out as she came in.

"Yes. I apologize. I should have told you I would be here."

"No, that's okay. What are you doing here?" she asked as she hustled into the back room and put her bag away, not looking at him.

Vision didn't answer immediately. He took a moment to look at her first, watching how she moved. He saw her wince when she moved her left shoulder, and she seemed to be favoring her right side as well.

"You were right that I should not have approached you about Bucky the way that I did. It was an inappropriate time. However, this is something I cannot simply overlook."

"God, Vision. Listen, I appreciate that you care. I do. You have no idea. You are probably the sweetest guy I've ever met, but this is just how it is, okay? I'm with James, and sure, he has some issues, but we're supposed to be working on it. Why can't you leave it alone?"

If she had sounded angry, Vision would probably have dropped it right there, but she didn't sound angry. She sounded sad. Resigned. Tired. And it broke his heart.

"I cannot leave it alone because you deserve better than that. Better than him. I cannot stand to see you in pain. And also... I don't wish to leave you alone, ever. I want to be the one by your side. I want to be the one who holds you, the one who makes you happy. I want you, Wanda. More than I have ever wanted a woman before. I want every part of you."

Wanda eyes flickered to his, but she couldn't hold his gaze.

Vision approached her slowly, like he had the last time. He knew he needed to make her feel safe. She was as skittish as a wild animal. He could see her tensing up the closer he got to her.

"Let me see," he said softly, trying to get her to meet his eyes. She kept her gaze averted, but didn't move away when he pulled her sleeve down and brushed her hair to the side so he could see her shoulder. There was a long bruise on her back, from her shoulder down. He couldn't see the end of it, as it disappeared down into her shirt. He gritted his teeth and moved on to the next.

He half expected her to stop him when he pulled her shirt up to look at her side, but she didn't move. He sucked in a breath as he saw the huge, livid bruise covering her right side. He caressed the skin around the edges of the injury, afraid to hurt her, but needing to feel her, and he felt her shiver under his fingers.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No. You didn't hurt me," she said. Her voice was husky and low. He could feel her starting to respond to his touch, and he was suddenly painfully aroused, harder than he could ever remember being.

Vision couldn't help himself. He smoothed one hand over the soft skin of her stomach while he slid his other hand into her hair, marveling at how silky it felt. He leaned down and buried his face in her neck, not kissing her, but just breathing her in.

He sighed when he finally felt Wanda put her arms around him. He pulled back enough to see her and almost climaxed just from the look of blatant lust on her face. He nearly stopped breathing when she pulled his face down to hers, and his brain seemed to short circuit when their lips finally met.

She kissed him deeply and desperately, pressing her body against him, caught up in a flood of passion. It was like a dam had broken and all of her need was pouring out in a tidal wave. She was all Vision could feel, see, breathe...and he wanted more.

Vision lifted Wanda and sat her on Clint's desk, then nestled himself between her legs. She leaned back, watching him with heavy lidded eyes. She reached out and hooked her fingers into the waistband of his pants, pulling him close.

Wanda sat up and ran her hands over Vision's chest before reaching between them and unzipping his pants. Vision swallowed hard and couldn't help the shuddering moan that escaped him when she grabbed his length and stroked him. She looked up into his face, serious, but with desire in her eyes.

"I'm going to hell for this," she said. "I watch you, and I want you, and you keep being so damn kind to me. So thoughtful and...and loving. You care, and you're gentle with me, and damn it, I want you so badly, Vision." Even as she spoke, she kept slowly stroking him, driving him insane.

"You make me feel beautiful, Vis." She nibbled along his jaw. "You make me feel wanton." She ran her tongue down his throat. "I feel it every time you look at me." She took his hand with her free hand and placed it on her breast. "I feel it here." Her nipple was hard under his palm, and Vision's mouth went dry. She dragged his hand down her body until it reached the panty-covered heat between her legs. "And here." She rocked her hips, and Vision pressed his hand against her. She dragged in a shaky breath, and looked him in the eyes again.

"I'm going to hell for this, Vision. Take me to heaven first."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

* * *

A/N: Thank you guys for the amazing reviews. It means the world to me and keeps me writing!

* * *

Things were different after he made love to Wanda.

And that's what it had been. Making love. It didn't matter how anyone else would have perceived their sex, it wasn't some crass hookup. Just because they had knocked everything off of Clint's desk, toppled a couple of chairs, and somehow managed to move the heavy desk as well... Well, that was just a measure of the passion they had shared.

He couldn't stop smiling when he thought about it.

He would never forget the way she looked, spread out on the desk all naked and aroused, fixing him with her sultry gaze. God, he still wanted her. Having her for one blissful morning interlude only made the need that much worse.

But things were different now, so maybe that was okay.

Since then, they spent more time together. Vision found himself spending his off hours at the store with her. During slow periods they would end up on the floor in one of the aisles, just talking. He found her absolutely fascinating. She had the most amazing mind. He loved her humor and her teasing. He loved watching her light up when she talked about something that excited her. He loved listening to her speak- her voice, her accent, they went straight to his heart. And he loved her laugh. He loved being the one to make her laugh.

She talked about her brother sometimes. Pietro. Her twin. She told him about their childhood, how he loved to run, what a free spirit Pietro had been. She told him how protective Pietro had been, and how he hated seeing anyone suffer. She talked about how she had depended on Pietro, how he had been a lifeline for her in a world that felt overwhelming, how his courage had always given her courage.

And she told him about Pietro's death.

They were sitting on the floor, facing each other across the aisle, their legs stretched out next to each other.

"Pietro liked to go _fast_ ," she said. "Always. He was impatient. I always worried about him, but he would laugh it off and tell me that only the good died young." Her eyes were unfocused. She was staring at her memories, not seeing the world around her. Tears formed in her eyes. "I worried even more, because Pietro was good. He was a good man, with a good heart, and if the world was going to take anyone, it was going to be him."

Her eyes focused on Vision. He grabbed her hand and threaded their fingers together, silently offering her any support he could. Tears slid down her cheeks, and she wiped them away on her sleeve.

"He was driving. James was with him. They had been friends for a long time, and James and I were already together." She paused and sighed. "Pietro lost control of the car. It was bad. He...he died. And James lost an arm."

"That's terrible," Vision said softly. "I'm so sorry."

She smiled at him- a sad, soft, wistful smile.

"Thank you, Vis."

He raised her hand to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.

* * *

He didn't ask her the question that had been on his mind since that talk until days later.

They were on the floor in the back room, on a blanket he had laid out. She was still on top of him, and that's exactly where he wanted her. They were both basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Vision ran his hands over Wanda's back, and he felt her soft lips press against his throat. Having her in his arms truly was a slice of heaven. He couldn't get enough. And while he hated to ruin their peaceful moment, he needed an answer to this question.

"Wanda," he said, hesitantly.

"Yes, Vis?"

He paused, trying to decide how to approach the subject.

"Do you care about me?" Not what he really wanted to ask, but it was a start. The real question burned inside of him.

Wanda sat up and looked at him.

"You know that I do, Vis."

"Do you love me?" he asked, needing to know.

Wanda's gaze was steady as she studied his face. He didn't know what she was looking for, and she was quiet for what seemed like an eternity.

"I do," she said, finally.

Vision closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

"Do you love him?" There. He had said it. When he opened his eyes, she was still staring at him, an unreadable look of her face.

"Yes," she said, "but its complicated." Wanda sighed and moved to sit next to him on the floor. The loss of their body contact pained him, but he sat up and waited for her to explain.

"I've loved James for a long time," she said. "He and Pietro and I used to be inseparable. After the accident, we needed each other badly, so we only grew closer. He started to become possessive in a way he had never been before. I didn't notice haw bad it had gotten until the first time he hit me." She was staring down into her hands.

"We had gone out for drinks. James was sitting at our table, and this guy came up and started hitting on me while I was at the bar. I thought it was funny. He was just so drunk and ridiculous. When I went back to the table with our drinks, James was standing there waiting for me, looking really angry. He slapped me, right there in front of everyone." She drew in a ragged breath. "I was hurt and humiliated, but when he walked out, I followed him. I needed him, Vision. I couldn't let him go."

Vision listened, calm on the outside, but seething on the inside. Just imagining the man slapping her was enough to make his blood boil.

"He called me a tease and a whore. I kept apologizing, over and over." She looked at Vision, her eyes sad, but without tears. "That was the first time, but not the last. Things kept going downhill. And now here we are." She shrugged.

"James has a lot of anger inside of him, and I understand his rage. Pietro took so much from him with his recklessness. Maybe I still feel guilty about that. Maybe I've stayed partly because I'm trying to make up for what Pietro did. My brother would be so angry at me, and at James. It's just that... I care about him. I want him to be happy, and there are many times when being with him makes me happy."

"I still love him," she said. "I don't think anything will or could ever change that. We've known each other too long, and been through too much together for it to change. But I think he killed a part of my love with his fists, because Vision, I love him, but I'm not _in love_ with him. Does that make sense?"

She was looking at him pleadingly. Vision brushed her hair back behind her ear and leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her lips.

"I understand," he said gently. Tears sprang into her eyes as she gave him a radiant smile. She looked so relieved.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, opening her mouth to him like she had opened her heart. He could feel her need, and so he pressed her back into the floor and buried himself inside of her. She cried out his name as he began to move.

Neither one of them cared that they opened the store late that day.

* * *

The store had become their little bubble of happiness. A place that stood outside the real world, where they could steal touches and indulge their love a little. Vision spent as much time there as possible, as did Wanda, even asking to pick up more shifts so they could be together. If Clint noticed anything strange, he didn't say anything, but that was his way. Clint was happy as long as everyone else was happy and the business was running smoothly. Vision could both respect and appreciate that.

His mind lingered on thoughts of James when he wasn't with Wanda, though. Her presence had a wonderful way of shutting down all the negative aspects of his life, but without her there, he couldn't help but think about what they were going to do.

They hadn't talked about it yet. Wanda seemed perfectly fine with things the way they were. Vision suspected she was desperately trying to put off having to deal with the situation, but he knew their happy bubble wouldn't last forever. James needed dealt with if they were ever going to really be together.

He was beginning to feel guilty for being "the other man." If for no other reason, that had decided him that he and Wanda needed to have a serious talk. He loved her so much, and he wanted her to be his in all ways. He wanted to be able to walk down the street holding her hand, or put his arm around her where other people could see. He wanted to not have to be wary any time he wanted to be physically affectionate with her. He wanted to take her out to eat, to the movies, to anything. The brief touches they managed during daytime hours at the store were not enough to satisfy his need for her anymore.

James was the lucky man who got to put his arms around her any time he chose. He was the lucky man who got to hold Wanda at night, sleep next to her, and wake to look at her beautiful face. He was the man who knew what Wanda's sleepy bedroom eyes looked like. Vision wanted those things. Badly. His envy of James ran deep.

"Wanda," he said one morning while they were dressing. "You know we have to talk about James." She glanced at him as she pulled her shirt on.

"I suppose we do." She sighed. Vision tipped her chin up and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I love you, Wanda. I want to be with you, always, and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Will you?"

There was real pain in his voice, and in his heart. He hadn't realized it until he'd vocalized it, but her hesitation had left him feeling insecure in her feelings for him. Did she really want to be with him, or was he expecting too much? Did she ever have any intention of leaving James?

From her horrified expression, he could tell that Wanda saw all of that doubt on his face. She could see his pain.

"Oh Vis, I'm so sorry," she said, "Of course I want to be with you. I'm sorry I've made you doubt that." She cupped his cheek with her soft palm, her gaze sorrowful. "I'm just scared."

"I understand."

"No, you don't." Wanda pulled away from him, arms wrapped around herself. She looked smaller somehow.

"Tell me."

She took a deep breath.

"Do you remember Sam?"

"You mean the man who worked here before me?" Vision was confused by the sudden change of subjects.

"Yes. Sam and I got to be friends. Nothing else," she added quickly. "Just friends. James found out. He saw us laughing, saw us hug, and he assumed the worst. He lost it. He started threatening Sam. I don't know exactly how bad it got. Sam wouldn't talk about it with me, but it was enough for him to quit his job here. I haven't seen or heard from him since." She looked up at Vision with tortured eyes. "I keep thinking...what if that happens with you? What if James threatens you enough and you leave too? I don't want to lose you. I can't."

Vision saw the tears she was trying to blink away, and his heart broke. He hugged her tightly, pressing kisses into her hair.

"I would never, will never, leave you, Wanda. I promise you. I will always be here. Nothing he can do will ever change that."

"Sam was dismissive of my warnings about James too," she said softly.

"I am not being dismissive," he said. "I am making a pledge. I pledge to never desert you, to never leave you. I will be yours forever."

He felt her arms snake around him, clutching him close, and he pressed his cheek against her head. She felt so right in his arms. He couldn't imagine ever leaving her behind.

"You will eventually become absolutely sick of me, though," he said, half jokingly. "I cling."

"Never," she said. "I need you, Vision. Like I've never needed anyone else. I'll fight for you, even if it scares me to tell James I'm leaving, and I will never let you go."

"I'm afraid of him hurting you," Vision said, nuzzling her hair. "He hits you."

"I won't lie to you. He'll try to hurt me, but you are worth it. Getting away from him is something I've needed to do for a long time anyway. For myself. I've stuck around too long, for all the wrong reasons. I have to do this."

She was silent for so long that Vision thought the conversation was over.

"Tonight," she said quietly. "Can you come with me after work tonight?"

"Of course," he said, and leaned down to kiss her softly. "You did not even have to ask."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

* * *

Vision knew very well that going to Wanda and Bucky's apartment was going to be dangerous, so he called in a favor. He called in a cop. Vision and Wanda waited at a little deli a block away from her apartment. They weren't waiting long before his friend arrived, in full uniform. Her vivid red hair was pulled back severely, and she moved with grace and confidence.

"Natasha," Vision said, relieved. "Thank you so much for meeting us."

Vision had known Natasha for a couple of years, having met her through Steve. She was a hard person to truly know, as she was quite private, but once you were in her circle, she was a loyal friend. She was the first person he had thought of to call, as she was proficient in many different forms of hand to hand combat as well as being a law enforcement officer. If anyone could and would help them, it was her.

"No problem, Vision. What are friends for?" Natasha shook Wanda's hand and winked at her. "Us girls gotta stick together anyway. Call me Nat," she said to Wanda. "He never does."

"Nice to meet you, Nat," Wanda said. "Thank you so much for helping us."

"Like I said, not a problem. It's sorta my job anyway." Nat looked at them both, her face sobered. "So tell me what's up. Is he gonna be home?"

Wanda shook her head. "He shouldn't be, not for a while yet, but I can't be sure. And I don't know how long it'll take to get my stuff together."

"Do you have a vehicle ready to load your belongings into?" Nat asked.

"Yes. We have a car waiting," Vision replied.

"Good," Nat said. "You're not gonna want to come back here again. Let's get going. We're wasting time."

* * *

Vision didn't know what to expect from Wanda's apartment, but it definitely wasn't what he found.

The place looked almost like a bachelor pad. There was very little evidence of a woman living there. The decor was quite masculine, if it could even be called decor, and there were very few pictures to be found. He wondered what Wanda really had to gather up here.

It was a small apartment, and clean, even if a bit run down. He decided that was the biggest example of Wanda's presence there.

He followed Wanda into the bedroom, where she threw a suitcase on the bed and started gathering her clothing from the closet. He began packing the suitcase, watching as Wanda flew about the room grabbing things. Natasha stayed in the kitchen, where she could watch the door.

Vision could feel Wanda much more strongly in the bedroom. There were softening touches- a few candles, a quilt spread across the foot of the bed, and her sweet scent. He did, however, notice the absence of one thing, and he had to ask.

"Wanda, there seem to be no pictures of Pietro," he said. She froze for a second before continuing her search under the bed.

"James doesn't like having pictures of Pietro around," she said, sounding tense. "He's still angry about what happened. The accident, you know? Just looking at Pietro's face can set him off." She stood up, holding a shoebox. "This is where I keep all the memories of my brother. Out of sight, out of mind, at least for James."

"I see. I'm sorry."

It didn't take long for them to gather the rest of her things. Wanda had a surprisingly small amount of belongings. Most of her clothes fit into the one suitcase. The rest went into a garbage bag, along with her makeup and other assorted small items. The shoebox was taped shut and left separate. She carried it like it was extremely precious. It was.

They almost made it. Almost. Wanda was giving the place one final look over to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything when they heard a a key in the lock. Wanda immediately tensed up, her face betraying her fear.

"What the fuck is this?" James growled, seeing the two of them standing in the living room with her things. "Where the hell do you think you're going? What is he doing here?" James started forward, his hand raised as if to grab Wanda, but Natasha stepped out of the kitchen and intercepted him.

"You don't wanna do that," she said, her voice low and dangerous. Her hand rested lightly on the taser on her belt. James scowled at her, and Vision could see the man's jaw clenching.

"I'm leaving, James," Wanda said, her voice shaky. "I don't want to be with you anymore. I'm leaving you, so just let me go." James stared at her, his eyes burning with fury, his fist clenched.

"You fucking whore. I knew it. I knew you were messing around on me." His eyes flickered to Vision before resuming his furious stare at Wanda, who was unable to keep the guilt from showing on her face.

"I'm sorry, James. I am. I wish things hadn't turned out this way, but I don't want to be with you anymore. Not just because of Vis, but because I really just need to be away from you. I'm not gonna let you hurt me anymore. It's wrong, and I deserve better than that. I want more than that." Her voice was pleading. "Please understand."

"Oh, I understand. You're a cheating bitch. It's not enough that your brother ruined my life, now you're leaving me behind. Don't know why I even bothered with you in the first place."

Wanda just looked sad. "I'm not leaving you behind, James. I'm moving on with my life. You should too. You're stuck in the past and full of so much anger. I just can't let you take that anger out on me anymore. I still care about you, James, and I want the best for you, but I'm not in love with you, and I can't pretend to be anymore."

Vision stayed silent. It killed him to let James say these awful things to her, but he knew Wanda needed this chance to speak for herself for once. She needed to be the one to end things. He just placed his hand on her back to offer her support. He looked over at Natasha and saw she hadn't relaxed her stance a bit.

"Get the fuck out," James spat, moving away from the door. "I don't need your pity."

Wanda took her ring off and placed it on the coffee table, her eyes sad.

Natasha stood close by while Wanda and Vision carried her things out the door, her eyes never leaving James. She was the last one out, and closed the door behind herself. They could all hear James yelling as he tore apart the apartment, the sound of things breaking accompanying their steps.

* * *

Vision let Wanda into his condo, suddenly nervous. He had never invited a woman to stay with him before, for any length of time, not even overnight. Now here he was, with this beautiful woman in his home, and all he wanted was for her to stay.

His place was quite a bit more upscale than the apartment she'd shared with James. He had made good money with his computer work, and combined with some decent investments, he had made enough to outright buy the place. It was his oasis from the world, a place where he could relax and unwind and let his thoughts just wander. He hoped she would like it as well.

They hadn't yet talked about how long she would be staying. She had intended to rent a motel room until she could find her own place, but Vision didn't want her to waste her money. Better she save it while she searched, and if that meant he got more time with her in the meantime, well...that was a definite perk.

"Wow. This place is fantastic, Vis," she said, putting her bags down. "This is all yours?"

He shifted her suitcase in his hands and smiled bashfully. "Yes. It's all mine. I have been fortunate. Do you really like it?"

"I do." She smiled at him. "Where should I put my stuff?"

"We should put everything in the bedroom. You can have it to yourself while you stay here."

She looked confused. "Aren't you sharing your bedroom with me?" she asked.

"I do not want you to think I invited you to stay so that I could take advantage of you in your time of need. You are welcome here without any expectations." This conversation was making him uncomfortable, but Wanda's eyes softened with understanding.

"I appreciate that, Vis, but I want to share your bed. I love you. I want to be with you. I came here to be with you." She moved close and cupped his cheek in her palm. "You are such a beautiful person. If I wasn't ready for this, I wouldn't have come. I would've found someplace else, okay?"

Vision nodded, unable to speak. Wanda took him by the hand and led him down the hallway, quickly finding his bedroom. She took her suitcase from his helpless grip and set it aside. Vision didn't know what had come over him. He was struck dumb by her, unable to say a word, unable to move, unable to tear his eyes away from her. She was so beautiful, and she wanted to be here with him. She loved him. Could there be anything better than that in the whole world?

Then Wanda met his eyes and stripped off her top as she stepped closer, her warm body pressing up against him. She pulled him down into a searing kiss, and he let go of all conscious thought as he lost himself in her.

* * *

Waking up next to her was even better than he had imagined. Her softness and warmth, the sweet look on her face as she slept... He knew he was the luckiest man on earth, to have her by his side. He would do absolutely anything for this woman. His beautiful Wanda.

He glanced at the clock and sighed.

"Wanda," he said softly, trailing his fingers over her bare shoulder. "Wanda, it's time to get up." He hated to have to wake her, but work called. She had to open the store. He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder as she began to stir. She pressed her face into the pillow before finally opening her eyes and looking at him, a shy smile gracing her lips.

"Good morning," he murmured.

"Good morning," she said. She stretched languidly, and the pleased little humming sound she made sent a jolt of pleasure straight through him. "I don't wanna go," she pouted. "I wanna stay in bed with you all day."

"As amazing as that idea sounds, I think Clint would have a fit should we both call off of work," he said, grinning. The teasing smile she gave him then was simply stunning.

"I suppose I'll be a good girl, then." She winked at him. "I'll go take a shower and get ready." She stood up, letting the sheet fall away, and his breath caught in his throat. How had he forgotten that she was naked under the sheets? He couldn't stop staring at the curves of her body, her sleep tousled hair, and she made sure to give him a good, long look. He was instantly hard and ready for her. She winked at him. "Not too good a girl, though. Care to join me?"

"Nothing would please me more, love."

* * *

Wanda looked tired. The stress of the previous night was finally catching up to her.

Vision held her every chance he got between customers, just offering her the safety of his arms. She would move away and work for a little while, but quickly return to his embrace. He was eternally grateful for Clint's kindness. The man had come in earlier while Vision was quietly rocking her, taken a long look at Wanda's face, and simply laid a hand on her shoulder and given her a gentle smile. Clint was currently working in the back office, as usual.

"What can I do?" Vision asked.

"I'm okay," she said. "It's just... James was right in a way. I cheated on him. I should've broken things off with him before being with you. It was wrong of me." Guilt was plain on her face, in her words.

"Perhaps it is wrong of me, but I regret nothing," he said. "You needed something to compare your life to. I could give you that. If I could help you realize you wanted and deserved more for yourself than the abuse you were suffering, I will carry no regrets." He kissed her softly. "I love you, Wanda. For always."

She smiled up at him, until they heard a low voice from the door of the shop. Someone in the aisles screamed at the same time.

"And I'm not gonna have any regrets about this," James said coldly. They faced him, startled, and Wanda gasped as she saw the gun trained on them.

Vision inched himself in front of her, eyes fixed on the gun. James laughed.

"You aren't gonna be able to protect her, lover boy. I'll just kill you first."

"You don't want to do this, James," Vision said, trying to sound calm even though his heart was racing. He could feel Wanda clutching at his shirt behind him. God, he couldn't let her be hurt.

"The name is Bucky, asshole, and you don't know me!"

Vision saw James' finger tighten on the trigger. It was like everything was happening in slow motion, and he knew he was going to die.

Then the gun jerked to the side and the bullet missed, hitting the wall behind him.

People were screaming, and James was on the ground. Clint was rushing over, phone to his ear, obviously talking to the police. Clint kicked the gun away and looked around wildly.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked.

Vision shook off his shock and turned to Wanda, wrapping his arms around her as she cried. She stared at James as he lay unmoving on the ground.

"What the hell happened?" Clint asked.

Vision looked back at him, and someone cleared their throat, getting their attention.

"I broke my skateboard," Peter said, holding up the remaining half of his board. Wanda gave a little cry and ran over to Peter, grabbing his face in her hands.

"That was so dangerous, Peter! What were you thinking? You could've been killed!" she said. Peter looked at her very calmly, not smiling or joking or shy for once.

"He was gonna kill you guys. I could stop him. I had to. You guys are my family."

Wanda looked into his eyes for a long moment before kissing his cheek and folding her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. Peter looked startled, but put his arms around Wanda's waist and held her.

They could hear sirens getting closer, and were forced to move aside as cops arrived on scene. James had regained consciousness, and was in the back of a police car. EMT's had declared him to have a minor concussion, but otherwise fine.

Wanda put her arm around Vision's waist as they gave their statements. It felt so good to have her there, safe.

Afterwards, he buried his face in her hair.

"I am sorry I could not protect you," he said softly. Tears slid down his cheeks, finally. He had been rather blank since the shooting had occurred, but the shock was wearing off, leaving him feeling inadequate and guilty.

"What are you talking about?" Wanda asked. "You stepped in front of a gun for me. You can't blame yourself for this, Vis. Everything is okay. That's what matters."

"You are safe. That is all that matters," he said, cupping her face.

"No. We are safe. I love you, Vis. I need you to be safe too. I need you. Don't you ever forget that," she said fiercely. She pulled him into a rough kiss, and he could feel her fear in the way she moved against him.

When they pulled apart, she wiped the tears from Vision's face.

"Do you understand?" she asked. He pressed his forehead to hers.

"Yes."


	5. Chapter 5

Epilogue

By darthelwig

* * *

It was a beautiful day.

Mostly because he was surrounded by the people he cared about. Steve, Natasha, Clint, Peter...and Wanda.

A simple gathering of friends, a shared joy. Vision watched, slightly separated from the rest as he observed and absorbed the happiness around him. He watched Steve blow out the candles on his birthday cake, watched him blush as Natasha teased him about being the oldest in their group.

Caught up in watching Peter asking for a bigger piece of cake, he didn't see her approach.

"Come back to the party, Vis," Wanda said softly, smiling up at him.

"Of course. I'm just marveling at how wonderful our lives are right now."

Wanda trailed her fingers down his arm, then twined her fingers with his. "You make my life wonderful, Vis. I thank my lucky stars every day for bringing you to me."

"I feel the same," Vision said. "I love you, Wanda."

"I love you too." She brought their hands up and kissed his knuckles. "Now come, my love. Our friends are waiting."

He followed her back into the warm atmosphere of the party. It really was a beautiful day.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story. I hope it was as enjoyable to read it as it was to write it. Much love.


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